Illinois LCSW hours requirements
Supervised clinical professional experience after a master's degree in social work, toward the Illinois LCSW. Illinois states no minimum for direct client contact.
The short answer
Headline figures: Total supervised clinical professional experience 3,000 hours.
Supervision: Your supervisor must meet with you an average of at least 4 hours each month to discuss client cases and treatment procedures.
Post-degree experience · Authority: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Requirements
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total supervised clinical professional experience | 3,000 hours After a master's degree in social work |
| With a doctorate in social work | 2,000 hours This ledger counts the 3,000-hour route |
| Full-time weekly hours | 30 to 40 hours a week |
| Part-time weekly hours | Not more than 29 hours a week |
| Supervision | An average of at least 4 hours each month |
Supervision
- Your supervisor must meet with you an average of at least 4 hours each month to discuss client cases and treatment procedures.
- When group supervision is provided, the number of supervisees may not exceed five.
What Accrue checks
- Counts your logged experience toward 3,000 hours.
- Credits at most 40 hours in any 7 days.
- Warns when a 30-day period with logged hours has less than 4 hours of supervision. A warning never removes credit.
What Accrue does not check
- The 30-hour weekly minimum for full-time experience is not checked.
- The 2,000-hour route for a doctorate in social work is not counted.
Common questions
- How many hours do you need for the LCSW in Illinois?
- The cited rule sets total supervised clinical professional experience 3,000 hours. Source: 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1470.20, checked September 17, 2026. Supervision and time limits also apply; see the sections above.
- What supervision does Illinois require for the LCSW?
- Your supervisor must meet with you an average of at least 4 hours each month to discuss client cases and treatment procedures. When group supervision is provided, the number of supervisees may not exceed five.
- Does meeting these figures make me eligible?
- No. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reviews your application and your supervisors' verifications and decides. Accrue keeps the record and shows how the cited rule applies to it.
Sources
Sources checked
Accrue is a record-keeping aid and is not affiliated with any licensing board, accreditor or school. Rules change; confirm the requirements that apply to you with the authority that sets them before you rely on a figure.